The sixth annual GIIC Forum
Dublin, Ireland
April 3 to 5, 2001 |
News & Press
The GIIC Finds Disagreement on Digital Divide Priorities
Global Leaders Have Different Understanding and Solutions to Global Disparity
Dublin, Ireland, Wednesday 4 April 2001 - The Global Information Infrastructure Commission (GIIC) revealed today that a survey of top global business leaders found that many disagreed on basic definitions, problems and solutions regarding the global Digital Divide.
Major Study Findings
- Business leaders from different geographical areas have different understanding, priorities and solutions to the Digital Divide
- Access to technology infrastructure is seen as the primary cause for the Digital Divide
- South American business leaders point to basic education reforms and privatisation as major policy initiatives needed to close the Digital Divide
- Asia/Pacific business leaders believe cultural and language differences are the primary causes of the Digital Divide
- African business leaders believe that the Digital Divide is primarily related to poverty and the inability to gain the investment for telecommunications infrastructure
- Both American and European business leaders believe information security is a major impediment for continuing development in the use of electronic information
- Public/Private partnerships are viewed as being primarily responsible for closing the Digital Divide
The survey indicates that there are clear differences in the importance attributed to the Digital Divide issue, according to the geographical location of the business leaders. In Africa, there is a significantly higher priority placed on this issue than in North America or in Europe.
There is also a significant difference of opinion - again according to the geographical location of the business leaders - as to whether the Divide is widening or narrowing. Leaders from South America point to the need for basic educational reform and for an emphasis on privatisation. Countries from the Asia/Pacific region believe that culture and language are the greatest obstacles to bridging the Divide.
The study strongly links the widening of the Digital Divide to a lack of technology infrastructure. There is agreement that the solution to the Divide must come from business and government in partnership. According to the GIIC Commissioners, unless world leaders understand these geographic differences, little progress will be made; leading to an even broader Digital Divide.
GIIC Co-Chair, H. Brian Thompson, cited recent experience in Ireland; "The Government fostered policies that encouraged high-tech investment, bringing Ireland into a leading position in the digital economy. These policies have been a major factor in Ireland's economic recovery and position it to be a major exporter of hightech products and services. This experience needs to be understood by all countries looking to close the Digital Divide."
At the annual meeting of the GIIC, W. Bowman Cutter, Executive Director of the GIIC and Managing Partner of Warburg Pincus, said the survey revealed some eye opening findings. "These findings need to be studied and corrected before the Digital Divide between the information haves and have-nots will begin to close. Unless business and government leaders address these differences, investments will not be made in infrastructure improvement and people in the underdeveloped economies will suffer. We hope that the GIIC Commissioners' recommendations will generate a greater in-depth debate by world leaders."
"This survey will have a significant impact, especially in the Asia/Pacific region, in bringing a more precise understanding of the meaning and impact of the Digital Divide," observed Michio Naruto, Special Representative of Fujitsu Limited and the Asia Co-Chair of the GIIC. He added, "Some countries face the likelihood of falling further behind in the digital economy. Through a more effective and greater utilization of IT, these countries can use digital opportunities to further economic and social developments." "The GIIC can help to advance the dialogue on solutions needed for the global information economy, as well as to create awareness of digital opportunities and build constituencies for change," Mr. Naruto noted.
Mr. John Lacopo, a Senior Consultant with Strategic Value and one of the architects of the study, talked about the survey's findings. "These global business leaders have very different and, in some instances, divergent understanding of the issues surrounding the Digital Divide." According to Mr. Lacopo, the Digital Divide is basically the gulf between those that have and those that do not have access to the Internet, and the breadth of electronic information made available through it. "The survey demonstrates that until business and government leaders sit down and discuss the breadth of issues surrounding the Digital Divide, the gulf will continue in many directions. Our survey results strongly indicate that the issues surrounding the Digital Divide are very different from one geography to another, from one culture to another, and even from one business sector to another. Because of this divergence of understanding, solutions and directions by business and government are going to be very disparate unless we arrive at some common understandings."
The GIIC will address the survey over the next two days and provide their findings and recommendations in a report to the DOT Force, a study group formed by the G-8 to investigate the Digital Divide.
About the GIIC
The Global Information Infrastructure Commission is a non-profit making organisation of major technology executives dedicated to fostering policies and understanding of issues that either encourage or hinder the development and proliferation of the information infrastructure capabilities throughout the world. CEOs and senior executives of over fifty of the world's leading technology companies have come together to provide advice and council to governmental bodies on policy issues that will enable everyone to benefit from these new technology based capabilities. Because of its global membership, the GIIC has recently decided to focus its energies on the global Digital Divide. The commissioners are dedicated to answering the question of how best to provide the advantages of the digital age to all parts of the globe. The focus of the organisation is to use the Internet to close the Digital Divide and to improve the quality of life for all people.
For further information, please contact:
Aileen Eglington / Matthew Willis, AE Consulting
+353872505007/ +35387 9881 007
aileen.eglington / matthew. winis @aeconsult.ie
John D. Lacopo, Strategic Value
Until Thursday 5 April John can be contacted via Denise Walsh, AE Consulting, on 087 2100 731. From Friday 6 April John can be contacted at + 1 303 980 3508, or jlacopo@aol.com.
Please Note: Conclusions from the conference will be announced at 3.30pm, Thursday 5 April. Please contact us for further details